AkzoNobel has appointed Renier Vree as Chief Financial Officer of its Specialty Chemicals business, effective March 1, 2018.

Vree has spent the last eight years at Arcadis N.V., where he is currently CFO and Member of the Executive Board. He also acted as the interim CEO for six months in 2016/2017. Prior to Arcadis, he spent more than 20 years at Philips N.V., most recently as CFO of Philips Lighting.

"Renier will be an outstanding addition to our senior management team," said Werner Fuhrmann, CEO of AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals. "He brings impressive executive experience with a strong track record of delivering operational performance, and will be instrumental in delivering on our ambitious growth plans."

AkzoNobel previously announced a dual-track process for the separation of its Specialty Chemicals business, either via a private sale or a legal demerger. The separation process remains on track for April 2018.